Farewell Blogspot...the Carly McCray Photography Blog has moved!

In the words of Tim Gunn, I've made it work here on Blogspot for 4 years now and am overdue for an upgrade. Please update your bookmarks + RSS feeds to my new blog!

www.carlymccrayphotography.com/blog

Come visit me at my new home to see Caty + Pete's lovely Madison wedding...

{ Zoe }

Finally sharing my sweet baby girl's first images (sans Grayson), even though she's already a chubba three month old!
Alas, that is my life as a twin mama...please enjoy this piece of my heart....xoxo

For the {groom}

The inspiration pieces I love + share are, most of the time, bride-related. Not today! Via { Once Wed }, I just had to share these adorable bow ties...one of my favorite groom details. The new “Forage” line of bow ties from { Something’s Hiding in Here } is coming to { The Curiosity Shoppe } at the end of this month. I just love the colors + fabrics they used in the line.
Stop by { Once Wed } to enter to win the striped tie below!




{Images via Once Wed}

{ Happy 4th Weekend }

{ CMP is now on Facebook }

Carly McCray Photography now has a { Facebook fan page }...feel free to come 'like' me if you'd like to stop by and say hello!
I'd love to hear from you, especially any of my clients out there. You can also find me on Twitter... { CMP on Twitter }

{ Carly McCray Photography on Facebook }

Snippets { L + P } wedding book

Snippets { B + B } wedding book

{ today }

...kiss the one you love...

{ Oh summer! }

I came across these gems today...two gorgeous brides on two amazing summer days.
(And I actually did a double-take since there isn't a giant watermelon on my front-half!)

{ Albums }

...I love when they arrive in a perfect little package...

Decorate your home with photography

At our house currently, we have zero items hung on the walls. I'm talking z-e-r-o...throughout the entire house. We are on the cusp of finishing painting nearly every existing surface, so there's at least a reason for the madness. It's actually been refreshing in a really odd way though. I have an entirely new color palette throughout, and about a half-million gallery frames to place wherever my heart desires!

I can't wait to start getting new and old photos up again to enjoy every day. Which brings me to your photos...any personal photos of yours...have you printed them lately? Or have you just been shooting, storing + forgetting them on your computer? Or Facebook?? People...Facebook is not going to be around to show your grandchildren. (Seriously, remember MySpace?) Print and display your photos!!! You will be so happy you did, I promise!

While waiting to redecorate our walls, I've been simultaneously working on a project putting all of our loose prints into albums...from the last seven years! Don't fall behind like me. I'm having a blast doing this, but I never want this to happen again. I'm working to be totally caught up before our babies arrive, since after that, I know we will have a new half-million photos to frame and put into albums (and about 2 minutes of spare time a day). And yes, I've got beautiful professional albums and many, many images from professional labs, but my point-and-shoot fun photos are equally important. And they deserve to be printed and enjoyed...not left to rot and collect dust on my hard drive.

If you're itching for ideas, { Pottery Barn } is always great and their gallery frames are my favorite. They're affordable, good quality + timeless. Love them. Start a fun winter project and make your home yours!




{Images: Pottery Barn}

New decade, new year, new look!

I'm so excited that it's 2010...a year that will bring huge change for me and my life. It's a new year + a new decade, and I think it's time for a new spin on the blog as well!

I'm going to keep things fun and fresh in 2010 with more of my personal work, fun posts, and style + inspiration-related features. What would you like to see? Leave me a comment and let me know!

{ Cheers to 2010! }

2009 thank yous, among other things...

I don't even really know where to begin writing this post. In the past year, my business has boomed exponentially along with all of the incredible people, emotions + love I've been able to photograph. In a time where so many people are experiencing hardship, I've had to turn business away time and again because I simply can't fit it in. It's a humbling feeling to receive that kind of response to my work; I know a simple 'thank you' isn't quite enough, but thank you, thank you, thank you to my clients who continue to gush to friends, and to all of you for valuing my point of view and trusting me with your memories and moments. I love you all!

Now for the 'among other things' part of this post! If you've been on my website or referred a wedding to me for next year, you know that I am no longer taking on new weddings for 2010. This is with good reason. (I am not getting lax!) Being a professional photographer entails a lot more than what most people believe you actually spend time doing. { This is a perfect breakdown of the common misconceptions of a photographer's life vs. what we actually do to run a successful business! } I've lightened my workload for next year because Zac and I found out some amazing news this fall...

We are having a baby!!!!!!!!!!!

We are SO excited (to say the least), and I want to be able to give my family 100%  while giving my clients 100% as well. So even though my passions have not changed toward photography, I feel a slowdown is necessary for me to find a balance in my new life.

As of this past Thursday, this balance has become of even higher importance. Zac and I went in for our 5-month ultrasound to see how everything was progressing with Baby and were hit yet again with some pretty crazy news...

We are having TWINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This came as a TOTAL and complete shock! We had no inkling, no idea, no anything that there could possibly be two little ones in there. I never showed signs of carrying multiples either, or had any test results that indicated anything differently. We've been on a wild ride since getting this news but we could not be happier and we feel so, so blessed! So without further ado, meet our babies + check out their first grainy black and white image! P.S. Baby B is a boy, and Baby A is a girl!!!! One of each!!!!!!! :)

I hope everyone's holidays are as wonderful as our holidays have been so far! I will try to keep my blog on the professional side, but I'm pretty over the moon about having twins so I will definitely be sharing more of them in 2010. :)  Merry Christmas + Happy New Year!

Heidi + Hyden {wedding}

Heidi + Hyden had a beautiful wedding on the top of Rib Mountain a few weeks ago. What a day! Heidi + Hyden were awesome, and taking pictures on and around the 'mountain' was a fresh setting and perfect for fall. They are also huge dog lovers, so their chocolate lab Tilly was along to join in the festivities of the day! Congratulations again, Heidi + Hyden! I hope you enjoyed your day to the fullest--I had a lovely time! :)

A few details before favorites - gown { Anjolique }, bridesmaids dresses { Jim Hjelm }, cake { Sweet Nothings Cakes }, venue { Granite Peak }